From DIY Photos to Diploma: Jesel Acuzar's ETEEAP Journey at New Era University

There is something deeply relatable about a graduate taking her own pre-graduation pictures because hiring a professional photographer felt like an unnecessary expense. It is small, practical, and very Filipino. But behind that one decision sits a much bigger story, one about years of doubt, sacrifice, and finally proving to herself and everyone watching that finishing a degree was never out of reach.

That is the story of Jesel Layagin Acuzar, who recently shared her pre-graduation moment online ahead of receiving her degree through the Expanded Tertiary Education Equivalency and Accreditation Program (ETEEAP) at New Era University.

Jump to a section:

A DIY Toga Moment With a Big Meaning

In her post, Jesel explained that she opted to take her own pre-graduation photos instead of booking an official photographer, since the going rate is usually around a thousand pesos. With the help of her friend Francine, who took the photos for her, she got her shots done the practical way. No fuss, no big production, just two friends making the most of a meaningful day.

It is a small detail, but it says a lot. ETEEAP graduates often come from backgrounds where every peso counts, where work, family responsibilities, and tuition fees compete for the same budget. Choosing to DIY a photoshoot is not about cutting corners. It is about being resourceful, something many working adults who pursue ETEEAP already know how to do very well.

The Long Road Before the Toga

Jesel admitted that some of her friends and followers found it hard to believe she would actually finish her degree, given everything she has been through over the years. She did not go into the specific details of those struggles, but the emotion in her message was clear. This was not a quick or easy path.

She described the moment of putting on her graduation toga as something she had prayed for, calling it a moment made possible “by God’s grace.” For her, every hardship, every doubt, and every sacrifice that she and her family went through was worth it once that toga was finally on her shoulders.

This is a feeling that resonates with so many ETEEAP candidates. Many of them carry the weight of unfinished education for years, sometimes decades, while building careers, raising families, and supporting loved ones. The return to school, even through an accelerated and competency-based pathway like ETEEAP, is rarely simple. It takes courage to start again, and even more courage to keep going.

Why ETEEAP Made the Difference

ETEEAP exists precisely for people like Jesel. It is a program that recognizes the knowledge, skills, and experience a person has already gained through years of work, training, and informal learning, and converts that into academic credit toward a college degree. Instead of starting from scratch, qualified individuals undergo an assessment process that may include portfolio evaluation, written exams, interviews, and practical demonstrations, depending on what the deputized higher education institution requires.

New Era University, where Jesel completed her ETEEAP journey, is one of the institutions authorized to run this kind of program. Deputized schools like New Era are tasked with putting together a panel of assessors who evaluate a candidate’s competencies and determine the appropriate equivalency credits, eventually leading to the awarding of the degree once all requirements are met.

For someone who has spent years away from a traditional classroom, this pathway offers something invaluable: a real, recognized way back to finishing what was started, without having to repeat years of coursework that their work experience has already covered in practice.

If you want to understand how this whole process works in more detail, our guide on the ETEEAP journey from work experience to college degree breaks it down step by step.

Gratitude That Goes a Long Way

One name stood out in Jesel’s post: Ma’am Lailani Madlangbayan of the ETEEAP Department at New Era University. Jesel specifically thanked her for genuinely helping and assisting her throughout the entire process.

This kind of mention matters more than people realize. Behind every ETEEAP graduate is usually a coordinator, an assessor, or a department staff member who took the time to explain requirements, follow up on documents, and guide the candidate through what can feel like an overwhelming process. For many applicants, having someone patient and knowledgeable on the other end of the line makes the difference between giving up halfway and reaching graduation day.

Jesel closed her post with thanks to both God and New Era University for making her dream possible, a sentiment shared by many who have walked this same path before her.

What This Means for Other ETEEAP Hopefuls

If there is one takeaway from Jesel’s story, it is this: finishing a degree later in life, after years of setbacks, is not just possible, it happens, and it happens to real people with real struggles, not just to those who had an easy road from the start.

If you are someone who has been putting off going back to school because of work, finances, or simply not knowing where to start, ETEEAP might be the pathway you have been looking for. The first step is figuring out whether you meet the basic qualifications, and from there, finding a deputized school near you that offers the program related to your field.

You can check the general requirements through our eligibility guide, and browse a list of authorized institutions through our accredited schools directory. For more stories like Jesel’s, from working professionals and even public figures who took the same route, head over to our success stories section.

Every ETEEAP graduate has a story behind the toga, and most of those stories involve years of quiet perseverance that nobody else gets to see. If Jesel’s journey resonated with you, maybe it is time to take that first step toward your own. Start by checking your eligibility, talk to a deputized school, and remember that the road, however long, does lead somewhere.

Photo Credit: FB/Jesel Layagin Acuzar